Manolis Andronikos
When Léon Heuzey , o French archaeologist who began excavations of the Palace of Vergina in 1861, closing the publication of findings of, wish the continuation of research, It was impossible to imagine how fruitful it was this survey. He was careful not to let anonymous region that lies between the villages of Palatitsia and Vergina: the yielded the name of Vallas, a town unknown and insignificant, the name of the saved only some ancient dictionary. Archaeological Research resumed the 1937-38 by Mr. a. Roman and continues as today, proceeded without the help of any written source that could lead the steps of archaeologists.
Today, After 131 years, the monuments have spoken for themselves. The "ftheggomenoi stone", as so aptly described them a pioneer scholar of Macedonian archaeology, m. Dimitsas in the title of the valuable work of «Macedonia in lithois ftheggomenois and mnimeiois swzomenois», allow us to resurrect not merely an ancient Macedonian state,but the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Macedon, the Aigai or Aigees.
Written by the cemetery headstone of Vergina. Over 50 such columns by ordinary Macedonians citizens graves have been found. The Greek names of the dead around 400-350 e.g.. reinforce decisively the notion that the Macedonians were Greek sex without Illyrika or Phrygian elements.
Known and this only as a name, had a weird historical fate. Somewhere near the end of the 5th century prochristianikoy ceases to be capital of the Macedonian state, King Archelaus builds new capital, The Pella, down in the Valley, near the sea. Scarce made anymore references to goats in ancient writers, most notable is linked to the murder of Philip in the theatre of the ancient capital in 336 e.g.. A second stated in their occupation 274/3 e.g., by pyrrhus, the guard disengaging itself mercenaries Gauls and desecration of Royal Tombs.
Then slowly lismonietai, as other cities, as Veria, view the years of Roman domination and in the following centuries of Byzantine Empire. The most surprising though, is that once completely deserted and forgotten even the position of. When, After centuries, people interested in history and seek to identify the ancient cradles them, from an unexpected confusion, based on a Roman history-sympiliti, believe that Aigai match Edessa in Western Macedonia. This belief makes them overlook some obvious things, first of all, that is absurd and without precedent a town with two names, following the express testimony of an ancient geographer Ptolemy gives us different geographical spots for the two cities.
The chryselefantini shield of Philip
It took the net and scientific courage N. G. L. Hammond to rediscover the Aigai real location. For the first time 1968 in a statement in Thessaloniki supported that Aigai should be placed in Vergína, where had revealed the brilliant Palace and the Macedonian tomb with its imposing marble throne. His opinion based on a series of theoretical considerations and historical information. The continuation of excavations confirmed beyond any expectation the correctness of the identification of this. Today has been accepted by almost all historians and archaeologists. So the findings of excavations apochtoyn of particular importance, Why come to illuminate the history of the very birthplace of ancient Macedonians.
In the current phase of the excavations we can summarise with enough security our knowledge about the city of Aigai.
The first inhabitants of the area seems to have come to this place in the late bronze age, i.e. in the 11th ,or the latest, at the beginning of the 10th BC. century. This follows from the earlier burials the cemetery of tumuli, relating to this period.
The gold wreath that stood on the shoulder of the hydria Osteodochoy
The view that it is frygika sexes, Phrygians or Brygoys, finds support from explicit testimonies ancient sources that sometime the Phrygians lived in this part of Macedonia. When the Phrygians were moved, It is difficult to know, but when you think that in the 8th BC. century the Phrygian State of Asia has very impressive acne, We have to accept that Frygwn moved from Europe to Asia cannot be done after the 9th b.c.. century. What I think is certain is that the first Macedonians arriving in the area of Vergina not later than the beginning of the 7th century b.c., threshold does not exclude several prior installation.
Under this established by the Argeiadwn dynasty, the first capital of the Macedonian Kingdom Goat or Aigeai. Although we do not have archaeological finds from the city this season we can assume that he was in the hills south of the Palace. With the transfer of capital in Pella, the Aigai ceased to be the administrative centre, but retained the old glamour seems capital. The elements allow us to regard it as certain that in the 4th b.c.. century the Aigai experienced a period of prosperity , which is most likely due to Philip. In the 4th century. building brilliant Palace, made the theater, built churches and decorated with devotional and votive statues. The city spreads over a large area and below the Palace. It is very likely that the walls that surround almost all the town built in this period, While made remarkable water supply system. The sepulchral monuments and tombs, both assassinated. and the next, show not only wealth, and high cultural level of the inhabitants.
The iron Breastplate of Philip found at Vergina. Adorned with gold bands and discs with lion.
Apart from the Royal Tombs, a number of Macedonian tombs attest that wealthy nobles were still living in the old capital. After the Roman conquest brought a bending, but the city still exists, as we can infer from the remains of houses and tombs. But it seems that some displacement toward the plain, I started maybe older, continues in this phase, as evidenced by ruins, but, above all, the foundations of a Paleochristian basilica was revealed recently. For the first few centuries of the Byzantine Empire did not know anything. Though the written testimony of the 14th century we learn of the existence of the village Palatitsia, where the 16th century built the Church of Agios Dimitrios, that saves as today the richest toichografisi of.
The archaeological survey of the area has given far abundant material for both the knowledge of the culture of the Macedonians and the understanding of their historical physiognomy. It is true that the continuing and systematic study of the findings, will allow us to gain a much clearer and more safe image for this section of Hellenism, from the 4th century. and then starred in the historical course and managed to spread the Greek culture and the Greek language in limits almost universal. And would truly historic paradox, that has no precedent of, If you accept that the coefficients of this world was a nation "hellenization barbarian" which was forced by the rulers to eliminate its national character, change of names, to accept a foreign religion, forget his language to transform into a foreign body upper culture. Beyond any scientific details of sages, There is, I believe, the effective treatment of history which is not easy to become caught up either in pronunciation of a letter nor in the scholasticism of grammatical.
Posted in journal' Hellenic Red Cross Youth '' , March 1992